Review

Review

I've got the previous Annihilator. It's fine, not as durable as a Hilti but then nothing is you know.

Kind of strange the way Reardon talks about the hammer motion as if it is something he's just discovered. You'd have to be an idiot to use only a simple rotary drill, and battery powered hammer drills and rotary hammers have been around for 20 years.

I'm not familiar with SDS Plus, is the chuck redesigned? Do SDS bits work in an SDS Plus tool?

Review

[b]Full Disclosure: The company that manufactured this equipment provided it free of charge to RC.com and RC.com then provided it as compensation to the reviewer for his or her review. This company does not currently advertise on RC.com.[/b]

Too many years ago, I placed my first bolt. A crusty climber had decided it was timeto teach this young gun about fear, and it worked. High up on the slick granite ofTahquitz, my feet were pasted on ridiculous smears, forced into readjusting everytime my hammer smacked into the drill I held steady in my hand. Salted sweat stung myeyes as the sun cooked my skin. A wet thump and fierce pain connected every nerve inmy body from where the hammer struck my wrist. Thirty feet later the rope caught menear Crusty. I was winded, but thrilled beyond belief.

There are few things in life more exhilarating than putting up a route on lead.Committing to the unknown, preparing for any contingency and tossing allsensibilities out the window because let's face facts - there's always an easier wayup. It is a challenge that few are willing to take on, but the reward? A lifetime ofmemories. I'd have more memories, but five pound hammer blows to the wrist getpainful after a while, not to mention the subsequent falls...

But, then cordless drills came along and made life simpler for those willing tohead into the unknown.

Bosch (http://www.boschtools.com), the largest power tool and accessory manufacturerin the world, helps the memories continue with greater ease thanks to their SDS-Plus24-volt Cordless Rotary Hammer Drill.

Doctors had previously banned this natural blonde from any mechanical items involvingsharp instruments, but upon arrival the blue beast literally shined from within itscase, beckoning me to play. I called a couple friends and 15 minutes later, thebattery was charged and we were ready to bolt everything in our path.

The first thing we noticed was the tool-free bit function. This allows forsingle-handed drill bit changing by simply pressing the bit into place until anaudible click signifies that it's locked. Removing the bit is just as easy, with amild press of the collar. The trigger is extremely sensitive and goes from zero torippin' in less than two seconds. It weighs a relatively light 9.2 pounds, andcontains all metal gears with a standard 3-year warranty. At a list price of $936(though I found it for $499.95 on several websites) that includes two batteries and adepth gauge, the SDS-Plus is $100 cheaper than it's big brother and has the extraadvantage of using a battery system that is interchangeable with other common Boschcordless tools.

The hammer mode is what impresses me most. Many drills operate with basic rotationthat bites into the material it is placed against, thereby drilling a hole. Thedenser the material, the harder one has to press to get the drill to bite. If onrappel, the danger level is similar to golf and this is not an issue. But when onlead, balance and insecurity may not allow the necessary pressure to get the drill tobite. Bosch makes this easier on the leader, for when the SDS-Plus is in Hammer mode,it literally pounds the drill bit in while rotating. At maximum speed, it provides4,400 beats per minute while spinning at 1,200 rpm! With a sharp bit, even thehardest granite gets a placement for a bolt in less than two minutes.

My friends and I also tested the battery life based on how many bolt holes we coulddrill per charge. We drilled each hole with a half-inch bit, to a depth of fiveinches:

In all, my only complaint for the SDS-Plus is that while drilling on lead, the singletrigger position makes it difficult to properly grasp the drill and press at the sametime, particularly with the elongated 1/2" bit. When placing bolts on rappel,this will never be a problem, but there are still those that hunger for adventure onlead. Having a second trigger function on the side would help resolve this, and evenpossibly encourage others to find those memories of their own.

All in all, Bosch again proves itself to be the leader in quality and craftsmanship.And for the handful of bolts that this team will continue to place, they will be donewith a Bosch in hand.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Rockclimbing.com doesn't advocate bolting or not bolting, power drilling or hand drilling, drilling on lead, on aid or on rappel, or dilling in any medium, from wilderness areas to roadcuts to your neighbors front walk in any way shape or form. Your ethics are for you to decide, not us.